the stainless steel rat-第10部分
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anted the basic information in every magazine； newspaper and journal inside that expanding sphere。
〃What in the devil does this nonsense mean〃〃 Captain Steng asked peevishly。 He had long since given up the entire operation as a futile one； and spent most of the time in his cabin worrying about the effect of it on his service record。 Boredom or curiosity had driven him out； and he was reading one of my releases with horror。
〃Billionaire to found own world 。 。 。 space yacht filled with luxuries to last a hundred years；〃 the captain's face grew red as he flipped through the stack of notes…〃What connection does this tripe have with catching those murderers？〃
When we were alone he was anything but courteous to me； having assured himself by not…too…subtle questioning that I was a spurious admiral。 There was no doubt I was still in charge； but our relationship was anything but formal。
〃This tripe and nonsense；〃 l told him； 〃is the bait that will snag our fish。 A trap for Pepe and his partner in crime。〃
〃Who is this mysterious billionaire？〃
〃Me；〃 I said。 〃I've always wanted to be rich。〃
〃But this ship； the space yacht； where is it？〃
〃Being built now in the naval shipyard at Udrydde。 We're almost ready to go there now； soon as this batch of instructions goes out。〃 Captain Steng dropped the releases onto the table； then carefully wiped his hands off to remove any possible infection 。He was trying to be fair and considerate of my views； and not succeeding in the slightest。
〃It doesn't make sense；〃 he growled。 〃How can you be sure this killer will ever read one of these things。 And if he does…why should he be interested？ It looks to me as if you are wasting time while he slips through your fingers。 The alarm should be out and every ship notified。 The Navy alerted and patrols set on all lanes…〃
〃Which he could easily avoid by going around； or better yet not even bother about； since he can lick any ship we have。 That's not the answer；〃 I told him。 〃This Pepe is smart and as tricky as a fixed gambling machine。 That's his strength…and his weakness as well。 Characters like that never think it possible for someone else to outthink them。 Which is what I'm going to do。〃
〃Modest； aren't you；〃 Steng said。
〃I try not to be；〃 I told him。 〃False modesty is the refuge of the inpetent。 I'm going to catch this thug and I'll tell you how I'll do it。 He's going to hit again soon； and wherever he hits there will be some kind of a periodical with my plant in it。 Whatever else he is after； he is going to take all of the magazines and papers he can find。 Partly to satisfy his own ego； but mostly to keep track of the things he is interested in。 Such as ship sailings。〃
〃You're just guessing…you don't know all this。〃
His automatic assumption of my inpetence was beginning to get me annoyed。 I bridled my temper and tried one last time。
〃Yes； I'm guessing…an informed guess…but I do know some facts as well。 Ogget's Dream was cleaned out of all reading matter； that was one of the first things I checked。 We can't stop the battleship from attacking again； but we can see to it that the time after that she sails into a trap。〃
〃I don't know；〃 the captain said； 〃it sounds to me like 。 。 。〃
I never heard what it sounded like； which is all right since he was getting under my skin and I might have been tempted to pull my pseudo…rank。 The alarm sirens cut his sentence off and we footraced to the munications room。
Captain Steng won by a nose； it was his ship and he knew all the shortcuts。 The psiman was holding out a transcription； but he summed it up in one sentence。 He looked at me while he talked and his face was hard and cold。
〃They hit again； knocked out a Navy supply satellite； thirty…four men dead。〃
〃If your plan doesn't work； admiral；〃 the captain whispered hoarsely in my ear； 〃I'll personally see that you're flayed alive！〃
〃If my plan doesn't work； captain…there won't be enough of my skin left to pick up with a tweezer。 Now if you please。 I'd like to get to Udrydde and board my ship as soon as possible。〃
The easy…going hatred and contempt of all my associates had annoyed me； thrown me off balance 。I was thinking with anger now； not with logic。 Forcing a bit of control； I ordered my thoughts； checking off a mental list。
〃Belay that last mand；〃 I shouted； getting back into my old space…dog mood。 〃Get a call through first and find out if any of our plants were picked up during the raid。〃
While the psiman unfocused his eyes and mumbled under his breath I riffled some papers； relaxed and cool。 The ratings and officers waited tensely； and made some slight attempt to conceal their hatred of me。 It took about ten minutes to get an answer。
〃Affirmative；〃 the psiman said。 〃A store ship docked there twenty hours before the attack。 Among other things； it left newspapers containing the article。〃
〃Very good；〃 I said calmly。 〃Send a general order to suspend all future activity with the planted releases。 Send it by psimen only； no mention on any other Naval signaling equipment； there's a good chance now it might be 'overheard。' 〃
I strolled out slowly； in mand of the situation。 Keeping my face turned away so they couldn't see the cold sweat。
It was a fast run to Udrydde where my billionaire's yacht； the Eldorado； was waiting。 The dockyard mander showed me the ship； and made a noble effort to control his curiosity。 I took a sadistic revenge on the Navy by not telling him a word about my mission。 After checking out the controls and special apparatus with the technicians； I cleared the ship。 There was a tape in the automatic navigator that would put me on the course mentioned in all the articles； just a press of a button and I would be on my way。 I pressed the button。
It was a beautiful ship； and the dockyard had been lavish with their attention to detail。 From bow to rear tubes she was plated in pure gold。 There are other metals with a higher albedo； but none that give a richer effect。 All the fittings； inside and out； were either machine…turned or plated。 All this work could not have been done in the time allotted； the Navy must have adapted a luxury yacht to my needs。
Everything was ready。 Either Pepe would make his move…or I would sail on to my billionaire's paradise planet。 If that happened； it would be best if I stayed there。
Now that I was in space； past the point of no return； all the doubts that I had dismissed fought for attention。 The plan that had seemed so clear and logical now began to look like a patched and crazy makeshift。
〃Hold on there； sailor；〃 I said to myself。 Using my best admiral's voice。 〃Nothing has changed。 It's still the best and only plan possible under the circumstances。〃
Was it？ Could I be sure that Pepe； flying his mountain of a ship and eating Navy rations； would be interested in some of the forts and luxuries of life？ Or if the luxuries didn't catch his eye； would he be interested in the planetary homesteading gear？ I had loaded the cards with all the things he might want； and planted the information where he could get it。 He had the bait now…but would he grab the hook？
I couldn't tell。 And I could work myself into a neurotic state if I kept running through the worry cycle。 It took an effort to concentrate on anything else； but it had to be made。 The next four days passed very slowly。
Chapter 7
When the alarm blew off； all I felt was an intense sensation of relief。 I might be dead and blasted to dust in the next few minutes； but that didn't seem to make much difference。
Pepe had swallowed the bait。 There was only one ship in the galaxy that could knock back a blip that big at such a distance。 It was closing fast； using the raw energy of the battleship engines for a headlong approach。 My ship bucked a bit as the tug…beams locked on at maximum distance。 The radio bleeped at me for attention at the same； time。 I waited as long as I dared； then flipped it on。 The voice boomed out。
〃。 。 。 That you are under the guns of a warship！ Don't attempt to run； signal； take evasive action； or in any other way 。 。 。〃
〃Who are you…and what the devil do you want？〃 I spluttered into the mike。 I had my scanner on； so they could see me； but my own screen stayed dark。 They weren't sending any picture。 In a way it made my act easier； I just played to an unseen audience。 They could see the rich cut of my clothes； the luxurious cabin behind me。 Of course they couldn't see my hands。
〃It doesn't matter who we are；〃 the radio boomed again。 〃Just obey orders if you care to live。 Stay away from the controls until we have tied on； then do exactly as I say。〃
There were two distant clangs as magnetic grapples hit the hull。 A little later the ship lurched； drawn home against the battleship。 I let my eyes roll in fear； looking around for a way to escape…and taking a peek at the outside scanners。 The yacht was flush against the space…filling bulk of the other ship。 I pressed the button that sent the torch…wielding robot on his way。
〃Now let me tell you something；〃 I snapped into the mike； wiping away the worried billionaire expression。 〃First I'll repeat your own warning…obey orders if you want to live。 I'll show you why…〃
When I threw the big switch a carefully worked out sequence took place。 First； of course； the hull was magnetized and the bombs fused。 A light blinked as the scanner in the cabin turned off； and the one in the generator room came on。 I checked the monitor screen to make sure； then started into the spacesuit。 It had to be done fast； at the same time it was necessary to talk naturally。 They must still think of me as sitting in the control room。
〃That's the ship's generators you're looking at；〃 I said。 〃Ninety…eight per cent of their output is now feeding into coils that make an electromagnet of this ship's hull。 You will find it very hard to separate us。 And I would advise you not to try。〃
The suit was on； and I kept the running chatter up through the mike in the helmet； relaying to the ship's transmitter。 The scene in the monitor receiver changed。
〃You are n
